THOUGHTS and THANK YOUS
Dear Farley Families,
As winter settles in and the temperatures continue to drop, we want to take a moment to remind everyone about the importance of ensuring that our students come to school dressed appropriately for the weather. This includes wearing winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves, and sturdy shoes or boots to keep them warm and comfortable during the school day. Outdoor play is an essential part of our daily routine, offering students the opportunity to get fresh air, stretch their legs, and engage in physical activity. However, the cold weather can make these outdoor breaks challenging without proper winter attire. When students are dressed warmly, they can fully enjoy recess and outdoor learning activities, which are vital for their overall well-being and academic success. Please take a moment each morning to ensure that your child is dressed for the weather. If your family is in need of assistance acquiring winter clothing, we are here to help! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me personally via email: rscanlon@hudson.k12.ma.us. You can also always email or call your student's teacher. We have resources and community partnerships in place to support our families. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for working with us to keep our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn. Together, we can make this winter season enjoyable and productive for all.
This week's thanks goes to Mrs. Duke, our English Learner teachers, our building coach, interventionists, and all of our English Learner students who did an amazing job on Access testing which started on Tuesday. Each year, all Massachusetts students in English Learner programs take the ACCESS for ELLs Language Proficiency test. This assessment, which is in four parts: Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing, measures academic English language proficiency for students learning English in our school and throughout our state. Teachers in our school use the information gathered from these tests to help them make decisions about instruction for our students. Teachers also use these test scores to monitor the progress a student is making toward English proficiency over the course of their school years. We are so grateful to all students who tried their best and demonstrated all the ways they could "explain their brains". Sincerest gratitude to Mrs. Duke and all of our EL staff who organize this this intricate assessment.
Lastly, our dedicated Math Interventionists-Mrs. Williams and Mrs. Lisa Leger, would like you to mark February 6th on your calendars for Farley's annual Math Night! For the past two years, we have had over 300 Farley Family members attend this fun event. Please see the fliers below for detailed information and ways to register. You can also use the QR Codes to register as well. Last minute walk-ins are also welcomed! We hope to see you there!
This weekend, my wife and I will be spending most of out time putting together some IKEA cabinetry we recently purchased. For all of you who have every put together IKEA furniture with a loved one, this could be quite an adventure. Wish me luck! I hope you have lovely weekend. Stay warm!
Read Always,
Rachel Scanlon (she, her, hers)
978-567-6153 - rscanlon@hudson.k12.ma.us
#ExplainYourBrain
LET'S USE SOCIAL MEDIA FOR THE POSITIVE
As we step into the exciting new year of 2025, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support of our school and staff. Together, we create a nurturing and inclusive environment where our students thrive. To help maintain this positive atmosphere, my teachers and I kindly ask for your cooperation regarding the use of social media. In the spirit of respect and privacy, we ask that families refrain from posting negatively about our school, staff members, or other families on social media platforms. This includes photos, videos, or commentary that could inadvertently compromise the privacy or reputation of others. As everyone knows, there often two or more sides to every story. If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, I encourage you to connect directly with our school through the appropriate channels. Our team is here to listen and collaborate with you. Thank you for helping us foster a supportive and respectful school community.
GRADE 4 PICTURES NEEDED!
Each year, Grade 4 caregivers and Home and School join forces to create our spectacular Farley yearbook. In order to have the most colorful yearbook possible, they needs lots of pictures! They are hoping to get a jump start on collecting pictures from families now. They have created an email where pictures from families can be sent. If you have any photos, both past and present (and future), that would be great for the yearbook, please email them to: farleyyearbook2025@gmail.com Thank you!
STILL HAVEN'T ACCESSED YOUR CHILD'S REPORT CARD?
Please read the following reminders from Ellen Schuck, the district's Head of Technology:
Aspen Parent Portal accounts are automatically created for new families at the beginning of the year. An email with account information is sent to a child's first contact. If you have not logged into your Aspen Parent Portal account and need help with your credentials, please fill out an Incident IQ ticket-directions can be found in the next paragraph. The district technology department will be happy to assist you.
The Technology Department uses a ticketing system for reporting all problems with hardware and software (Chromebooks, iPads, Aspen, student Google accounts, etc.). We ask everyone to complete an online ticket instead of sending an email.
- Parents can submit a ticket using the online Guest Repair Form.
- Students in Grades 5-12 are encouraged to use Incident IQ. You must sign into the program using your @student.hudson.k12.ma.us Google account.
- Please CLICK HERE for a video on how to submit a ticket.
Check out our other Aspen videos located on the district website.
THE FARLEY FAMILY DIRECTORY IS HERE!
The FOURTH draft of the Farley Family directory is now available. Thank you to Sarah Tracy for creating this resource. If you still want to be part of the directory, please still sign up!
Here is the link to last year's directory: Farley Family Directory
Still want to sign up? Click this link: https://forms.gle/eEQg6ZaSBnDqoDko7
Please email her @ sarah.tracy97@gmail.com if you have any questions
JOIN US-ALL ARE WELCOME!
Here is the link to join online: meet.google.com/goh-pzio-oev.
DISTRICT-WIDE ATTENDANCE LETTER NOTIFICATION
We are now one month into the 2024-2025 school year and I know that you have many hopes and dreams the days to come. To make sure those hopes and dreams are realized, I want to ask for your commitment to making sure your child attends school every day possible this year. The evidence is clear: children with good attendance are more likely to be successful in school and in life. Research shows that high attendance rates in elementary school are directly linked directly to high student achievement. Every day counts. Missing school even 10% of the time has a significant negative impact on reading and math achievement as children progress through school.
Good attendance starts early. Research has shown that the attendance habits established Kindergarten through Grade 2 have lasting effects on students throughout their education: children with high attendance in the early grades continue to have good attendance; and students with low attendance in the early grades are more likely to have low attendance—and lower academic performance—throughout their elementary and middle school years.
As caregivers, you are your child’s most influential teacher, I am asking for your support in helping your child get to school every day and to get to school on time by 8:35 every day. We realize that every family faces challenges. Please let your child’s teacher know if your family needs help dealing with a challenge to your child’s good school attendance. We will do our best to help you and your family ensure that your child’s school attendance stays on track.
Like last year, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) has mandated that families, whose children have 5 or more absences or 5 or more tardies be formally notified, in written form, of their child’s attendance. While Farley keeps accurate records of which absences are “excused” and “unexcused” the DESE does NOT distinguish between “excused” and “unexcused” absences.
Each school in the district will be emailing these letters home twice month. Please do not worry if you have received one of these notifications. We understand that kids, especially elementary age, get sick more often, have medical appointments, etc. We also understand that Covid-19 and the flu are still an issue. Farley staff always reaches out personally if attendance or tardies are a true concern. We like to work with families to help rectify any attendance issues that arise.
AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM OUR PICK-UP/DROP-OFF STAFF
For the safety and well-being of both students and staff, the Farley teachers at car pick-up and drop-off kindly ask that drivers not use cell phones while in line. They would like caregivers to refrain from taking pictures and videos of kids walking into school as well. Thank you in advance for help with this.
PAW PRINT STICKERS EXPLAINED!
Students get Paw Print Stickers for going above and beyond. When a staff member "catches" them doing something spectacular, they get two stickers-one to wear and one to put on their homeroom Fox poster. When their classroom Fox poster fills up with stickers, they get to have a classroom celebration. If you see a paw print on your child's clothing or backpack, please ask them what good deed they did to receive the sticker!
A REQUEST FROM A RESIDENT
A few of the residents who live on Lincoln Street asked me to remind all car pick-up drivers, to please refrain from parking in front of the driveways on Packard or Lincoln Streets while waiting for pickup. Blocking driveways makes it difficult for residents to access their homes. Within the next few weeks, car pick-up will be so fast that this shouldn't be problem. But for now, please be mindful of where your care is idling. The residents thank you in advance for your cooperation.
WE ARE HIRING!
FARLEY'S NEW VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS
Vision:
Farley Elementary School prepares all of its students with the academic and social-emotional skills they need to thrive as thoughtful, creative, and curious citizens who value diversity and lifelong learning.
Mission:
Farley Elementary School is a safe and inclusive community where everyone feels seen and valued. We inspire and empower all of our members to grow, explore, and ignite a love of learning. We value creativity, curiosity, global citizenship, and equity and believe our cultural and linguistic diversity makes us stronger.
Farley Elementary School
Email: rscanlon@hudson.k12.ma.us
Website: https://cafarley.hudson.k12.ma.us/
Location: 119 Cottage Street, Hudson, MA, USA
Phone: 978-567-6153
District Resources:
Civil Rights Coordinator- Jennifer Allard jnallard@hudson.k12.ma.us
Title IX Coordinator- Jennifer Allard jnallard@hudson.k12.ma.us
Director of Student Services- Catherine Kilcoyne cakilcoyne@hudson.k12.ma.us
District 504 Coordinator-Catherine Kilcoyne cakilcoyne@hudson.k12.ma.us
McKinney Vento Contact-Catherine Kilcoyne cakilcoyne@hudson.k12.ma.us
Foster Care Point of Contact-Catherine Kilcoyne cakilcoyne@hudson.k12.ma.us